At the 2nd Annual Elevate-Derm Alliance Summer Conference in Park City, Utah, at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, Dr. Liszewski emphasizes highlights from his lecture , JAK Inhibitors: Practical Tips for Integration into Practice.

In this video

Dr. Liszewski argues that JAK inhibitors have "revolutionized" a range of inflammatory skin disorders like atopic dermatitis and alopecia areata, and that reluctant clinicians should read up and get comfortable because "our patients deserve the best treatment possible, not good enough." He notes that for dermatologic conditions the side effect profiles of the oral and especially topical JAKs are "very bland," and he has seen firsthand how life-changing they can be for patients with severe alopecia areata or atopic dermatitis.

On the black box warning, he offers a line he keeps concise: those warnings "come from a drug that we're not going to prescribe for a disease you do not have" — a different JAK inhibitor studied in rheumatoid arthritis patients over 50. He stresses providing context on risks while reassuring patients with regular follow-up and lab work, which he finds gets them to buy in. He uses JAKs for severe alopecia areata and for atopic dermatitis when a first-line biologic fails, plus off-label conditions like lichen planus and chronic hand eczema, and he is especially excited about emerging data in severe vitiligo.

  • If you're uncomfortable prescribing JAKs, read about and learn more about them — patients "deserve the best treatment possible, not good enough."
  • For dermatologic use, the side effect profiles of oral and especially topical JAKs are "very bland," though side effects should always be discussed.
  • Frame the black box warning simply: it "comes from a drug that we're not going to prescribe for a disease you do not have" — a different JAK studied in RA patients over 50.
  • Reassure patients by pairing the risk conversation with regular follow-up and lab monitoring to earn their buy-in.
  • Switch atopic dermatitis patients to a JAK when they don't respond to a first-line biologic, and consider off-label use for lichen planus, chronic hand eczema, and — soon — severe vitiligo.